#21723
Taming OpenOffice.org Writer 1.1: Tips and Tricks for Academic, Technical, and Business Writers 
This book is for intermediate and advanced users of OpenOffice.org Writer. You may not have used this program before, but you have used another word processor (such as Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect) and you are familiar with the basics of word processing. Typical users include academic writers, technical writers, and other business and professional writers—anyone who produces books, research papers, proposals, or other documents requiring the use of more than the basic features. For example, you need to use styles instead of direct formatting of headings and other paragraphs, and you need to include chapter information in the footers of pages, or you want to use master documents to control a book containing many chapters, perhaps written by different people.
Weber, Jean Hollis. Technical Editors Eyrie (2003). Books>Writing>Word Processing>OpenOffice
#18738
Un blog essencialment d'opinió de temes generals i d'informació de l'actualitat de Tarragona i de Catalunya, a més d'oferir un seguit d'enllaços ciutadans i de serveis i utilitats per als blocs i webs.
Nosolousabilidad.com (2002). (Spanish) Articles>Usability>Accessibility>Collaboration
#30783
Teaching Professionalism in the Classroom 
Looks at what it means to be professional as a technical writer, as a teacher, and as a student and explains how to teach professionalism in the classroom.
Campbell, Alexa. Intercom (2008). Articles>Education>TC>Professionalism
#19220
The TechDis Accessibility Database
The TechDis Accessibility Database is part of the JISC funded TechDis service, alimented by the University of Sussex Institute of Education. This site provides an on-line resource of information about products which are available to assist those with disabilities. The resource is designed to provide information on assistive, adaptive and enabling technologies to the United Kingdom Higher and Further education sectors.
TechDis (2003). Resources>Directories>Accessibility
#32040
The Technical Communication Knowledge Portal
The STC web-based knowledge portal will make accessible both broad and deep information about the practice of technical communication. It is intended to be the first step in defining a body of knowledge (BOK) for technical communication. The draft site map displayed at the 2008 Summit as “the wall” is a way of organizing the domains of knowledge, skills, and concepts necessary for the practice. The final version of the map will be the initial framework for the knowledge portal.
Dayton, David, Hillary Hart, Michael A. Hughes and Janice C. 'Ginny' Redish. STC Proceedings (2008). Presentations>TC>Professionalism>Body of Knowledge
#23451
Technical Communicators - the Need for Categorisation
We all know that products are designed and developed by a variety of experts, such as engineers, programmers, scientists, and designers. And each of these experts belongs to a particular category. For example, engineers are divided into such categories as Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, or Aeronautical Engineer. Without that categorisation, there is no way that we can possibly know in what field a particular expert specialises. But who creates product documentation?
Curwen, Chris. TC-FORUM (2001). Articles>TC>Professionalism
#11847
Technical Writers Code of Professional Practice
As professionals in the communications arts we know that people work better if they have clear expectations of equitable treatment. In order to promote fair standards and encourage professional working relationships, the Technical Writers Trade Group of the National Writers Union presents the following Code of Professional Practice for technical writers in the hardware and software industries.
National Writers Union (1997). Resources>Workplace>Professionalism
#15209
#25697
Technical Writing Using OpenOffice.org Writer
If you're in the business of writing technical documents and you've been using Word in particular, you could benefit by switching to OpenOffice.org Writer. OpenOffice.org Writer is a strong competitor to Word for both drafts and final layout (desktop publishing) of many technical documents because it combines some of the best features of Word and FrameMaker. Indeed, Writer does several things better or easier than each of them.
Weber, Jean Hollis. O'Reilly and Associates (2004). Articles>Word Processing>Software>OpenOffice
#26695
Technically, It's All Communication: Defining the Field of Technical Communication
There is a certain need to define the field of technical communication: a definition that we as practicioners and scholars can adapt for different audiences in order to create a clear image. The reasons to create a definition are stronger than the reasoning behind letting our field remain perpetually undefined.
Metz Bemer, Amanda. Orange Journal, The (2005). Articles>TC>Professionalism
#21694
Assistive technology (AT) can open up the world for an individual who has a disability. Assistive technology can ensure that individuals with a wide range of abilities can have meaningful access, be productive citizens, and participate in education, activities of daily living, and recreation and leisure.
ALLTech (2004). Articles>Accessibility>Technology
#18450
Telephone-Based Access to the Internet
The rapid growth of Web services has led to a situation where companies and individuals rely more and more on material that is available on the Internet and intranets. Internet access is no longer limited to personal computers and powerful workstations in the office, but is reaching into the home, as well as on the road. A new class of electronics devices with Internet access capability called 'Information Appliances' was recently born. This Internet access capability is embedded in devices such as televisions, set top boxes, home game machines, telephone-based terminals, PDAs, car navigation systems and cellular phones. As mobile phones become available for everyone as commodities, successful telephone based access to internet is becoming more and more important to improve individual productivity. However, hardware restriction, narrow bandwidth restriction and accessibility requirements are serious obstacle to the success of telephone based access to the Internet.
Wu, Xue. Universal Usability (2001). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Bandwidth
#23240
Ten Accessibility Blunders of the Big Players
Article points out some major accessibility mistakes made by very large websites.
Moss, Trenton. Webcredible (2004). Design>Web Design>Accessibility
#22067
Ten Basic Tests to Check Your Website for Accessibility
The Disability Discrimination Act says that websites must be made accessible to disabled people. So how can you check that your website is up to par? There are a number of basic tests you can make to address some of the main issues. The following list includes guidelines that provide a good start in increasing accessibility to disabled people
Moss, Trenton. Webcredible (2004). Design>Web Design>Accessibility
#31059
Ten Common Errors When Implementing Accessibility
Web developers often make the same errors as each other when implementing accessibility - find out what these are and how to avoid making these mistakes.
Moss, Trenton. Webcredible (2008). Design>Web Design>Accessibility
#29383
Ten Obscure Word Tricks to Expedite Common Chores
Buried within Word are lots of cool tricks that not too many people have discovered. These are small things--shortcuts that, in some cases, may not look much more efficient than pulling down a menu and heading for the dialog box you need. But if you perform a certain task a thousand times a week, being able to bypass some steps or automatically slap a change into a document without having to stop and think about it can be a welcome convenience. The techniques included here include things like making vertical text selections, creating a shortcut to launch Word using a specified template, placing the Calculate command on a toolbar for quickly adding numbers, and duplicating text and objects with the mouse.
Gilbert, Jody. TechRepublic (2006). Articles>Word Processing>Software>Microsoft Word
#26368
Testing Assistive Technology for Compatibility with Microsoft Windows XP
This article prioritizes areas of the Microsoft Windows XP interface that can be tested to ensure compatibility between assistive technologies and Windows XP.
Microsoft (2002). Articles>Accessibility>Testing>Microsoft Windows
#19049
Text-only websites are not suited to all users with impairments. Although they are often ideal for users who are blind and use a screen reader, accessibility goes far beyond this user group.
Magennis, Mark. Frontend Infocentre (2002). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Universal Usability
#20047
The term ‘accessibility’ refers to making services and information available for people with disabilities. With regards to Macromedia Flash MX content, accessibility means making the same web content available for all users.
Friends of ED (2003). Design>Accessibility>Web Design
#18599
Thirty-Something (Million): Should They Be Exceptions?
There are over thirty million people in the U.S. with disabilities or functional limitations (of which a major cause is aging), and this number is increasing. An examination of the role of human factors in addressing this population is presented which would include both special designs for disability/aging and the incorporation of disability/aging into mainstream human factors research and education. Statistics regarding the size and characteristics of this population are presented, including the costs of disability. Examples demonstrating the economic and commercial feasibility of incorporating disability/aging considerations in mass market designs are provided along with a discussion of the benefits to non-disabled users.
University of Wisconsin. Design>Usability>Accessibility>Universal Usability
#25508
This HTML Kills: Thoughts on Web Accessibility
Activist Jim Byrne sounds off on the importance of web accessibility, and the difficulty of doing it right.
Byrne, Jim. List Apart, A (2000). Design>Web Design>Accessibility
#20680
Throwing the Bones to Certification
The more I think about certifications and the issue of 'specialist vs. generalist' I just have to wonder if it would be better to just get a bag of shiny new dice and start rolling one's own.
Berger, Jenny L. Creative Tech Writer, The (2003). Careers>Certification>Professionalism>Technical Writing
#29809
Time for Content to Become More Scientific
I'm all for formulaic writing. I love hierarchies and classification. I'm all for measuring content. There is a 'right' way to write content. Sure, it may not be the 'perfect' way, it may not be the way Shakespeare or Joyce would have written it, but it'll do. It'll get results and deliver value. A production line can be set up where this content can be mass produced, tested, and measured.
McGovern, Gerry. User Interface Engineering (2007). Articles>Content Management>Writing>Professionalism
#27674
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 were published in 1999 and quickly grew out of date. The proposed new WCAG 2.0 is the result of five long years’ work by a Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) committee that never quite got its act together. In an effort to be all things to all web content, the fundamentals of WCAG 2 are nearly impossible for a working standards-compliant developer to understand. WCAG 2 backtracks on basics of responsible web development that are well accepted by standardistas. WCAG 2 is not enough of an improvement and was not worth the wait.
Clark, Joe. List Apart, A (2006). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Standards
#19245
As the new disability legislation becomes law in the UK, Academic websites will be coming under close scrutiny from Disability Rights Organisations. Long established tools that have been used to test websites could, if used in the wrong way, be more of a liability than a benefit. The use of websites as medium for academia is now well established, with a plethora of materials being distributed over Intranets and Extranets. Furthermore, the pervasive Virtual Learning Environment is lending itself to opportunities for interactivity hitherto only possible in face-to-face teaching. But, as more and more material is distributed in this way there is a need for guidelines to ensure access for all.
Phipps, Lawrie, Neil Witt and Anne McDermott. TechDis (2002). Articles>Accessibility>Education>Online
